Nicholls' Triumph hope beached for season through injury

Paul Nicholls will not be represented in the JCB Triumph Hurdle next month as he ruled Cliffs Of Dover out for the season on Sunday.

The four-year-old's participation had been in doubt after he sustained an injury when schooling, and it has proved enough of a setback to prematurely curtail his season.

Nicholls said on his Betfair blog: "Cliffs Of Dover will miss the rest of the season after knocking a leg during a schooling session over hurdles just over a fortnight ago.

"I was hoping the injury would have cleared up by now but unfortunately it's a bit more serious than we first thought."

He added: "He will not be going to Cheltenham for the Triumph, which is a shame because he has been a revelation since joining us in the summer with a mark of only 64 on the Flat."

Formerly with Charlie Hills on the Flat, Cliffs Of Dover has won six of his seven hurdles starts, including a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle on his most recent outing at Doncaster in December.

The regard in which Cliffs Of Dover is held by Nicholls is evident as the trainer added: "He will have a nice long break now before he comes back into training in the autumn and we'll aim to have him right for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton."